You have to look off to the east to see the two Razades islands, respectively 7 and 10 kilometres from Île aux Basques. They are part of the Île-aux-Basques National and Historic Park. Both islands are small. Razade d'en Haut is 1.15 hectares in size and Razade d'en Bas, 0.58 hectares. They are composed of shale like their big sister, Île aux Basques, which covers 62.14 hectares.
The Razades are home to nesting waterfowl, including the common eider. This sea duck shares the islands with the double-crested cormorant, herring gull, great black-backed gull, black-legged kittiwake and razorbill.
In May each year, Société Duvetnor members come here to harvest eiderdown. The painstaking process is intended to keep disturbance of the nesting birds to a minimum. The proceeds from this harvest are reinvested by the Société Duvetnor to protect natural environments.
Credit photo : Société Provancher